Hi Nev, my understanding is that a 'selfer' will 'self' pollinate. Alcantarea & Vrisea often do this. With Neo's, most do not...but a few do, & these are the ones to try to aviod using as the mother plant when hybridising.

In the case of a species, selfing will produce a consistant batch of seedlings resembling the parent. However, in a hybrid...like say a neo...you will get a wide range of traits emerging from the 'selfed' or F2 batch, with some being close (but not the same) as the parent...and most tend to show up the worst traits of the parents.

Nev, you've got it about right. The only thing I might add to Andrew's explanation is that there seems to be varying types or degrees of selfers, from ones that will reject any but their own pollen to those that are self-compatible but don't necessarily self-pollinate without outside help.

I think some of this may have to do with the flower structure itself. In certain Vrieseas, Aechmeas, Billbergias, etc. the pistil is longer than the stamens, so the stigma is not coming into contact with its own pollen unless some pollinator comes along and does the job. That makes them much easier for a human pollinator to work with. They may be self-compatible, but as long as they're also receptive to outside pollen there's no problem.

With Neos, on the other hand, the majority of the flowers seem to be constructed so that the stigma (the receptive tip of the pistil) is either in direct contact with the anthers (the pollen-bearing portion of the stamens), or just below them where pollen can fall on them easily. Fortunately, as Andrew points out, most Neos are self-incompatible, but most of the ones that are capable of self-pollinating will do it every single time without any outside help, just because of the proximity of the floral parts. These are the ones we usually refer to as selfers. There are some others that are self-compatible but don't necessarily always set seed (Hannibal Lecter comes to mind), but if you see every last berry in the inflorescence swelling up, then it's pretty likely you've got yourself a classic selfer. You can still work with them, but it means you have to emasculate the flowers (remove the anthers) before the pollen becomes ripe. Either that, or use them as pollen parents only.

Of the top of my head I can't think of any Neos that are ONLY self-compatible (except maybe N. stolonifera), but I've run into some species of other genera that seem to fall into that category, like Aechmea brevicollis, tillandsioides and recurvata v. recurvata. Interestingly, those three are all "ant plants" (myrmecophytes), which in habitat will harbor colonies of stinging ants in exchange for protection from predator insects. The leaves form a hollow shell which stays fairly dry inside, which is where the ants live and fertilize the plants with their droppings. The ants also "protect" the plants from pollinators, so most myrmcophytes of whatever family have evolved into being strict self-pollinators. In some, the flowers don't even open, it all takes place behind closed doors.

Well, I guess that was a lot to add after all! Sorry if I got a bit OT. ;-)

Hi Devo and Lisa - Thanks for a very informative answer to my questions. I am trying to piece together a puzzle regarding the seed parent of some seedlings I have and I may need to call on your knowledge again in the near future

All the best Nev.